Folding crate



' n. F. DL'VOLL'AND 1. c. THIES.

FOLDING CRATE. APPLICATION HLED JULY 2, 1920.

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bu J E 40 R. F. DOLL AND J. C. THIES Patented Aug. 22, 1922 3 SHEETS-SHEEP 2- fl mvawbow U11 and I Jnhn llTluss Huh E? L F. I]

@y W w w R. F. DOLL AND J. C. THIES. FOLDIN G CRATE; APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1920- 11,426,363. Patented Aug. 22, 1922;

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16 F 27 /jg9 G M gum I mm gum/whom 5 RmhEPcEIlnH and f JuhnthTl-nles ROBERT F. DOLL, or clrlcneogaivn Jeane. Trims, or nannrneron, rnnrnors.

ronnrne CRATE.

' Application filed. July 2,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be lb known that we, ROBERT F. Don, and JOHN Trims, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago and Barrington county of Cook, State of lllinois,respectively, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Folding Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in folding crates. 1

An important object of the invention is the provision ofa folding crate which can be simply and rigidly maintained in an upright position, and which can be compactly folded "to occupy a relatively smaller space.

In the accompanying drawings lorming a part of this specification and in which like characters designate. the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the foldingcrate'. i

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the folding crate in a collapsed condition.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view showing the folding crate when in an upright position,

Figure & is a cross sectional view showing the folding crate with the sides about. to, be folded,

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view showing the folding crate when in a folded condition.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view showing the means for locking the crate in an upright position. 1

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a corner of the folding crate.

Figure 8 is a. fragmentary cross sectional view taken through the top section of the crate.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose Specification of Letters Patent. Pg,tnted Aug and I like parts throughout f tached thereto.

1920." sei-ni No. 393,648.

of illustration is showna preferred embodi-z ment of my invention, theletter A designates the platform structure of my invention having side sections B and end sections C hingedly mounted thereto, top sections D being preferably hingedto the side sections I l The platform structure, A is preferably composed of imperforate material having projections extending outwardly of the sides and end sections of the crate as is clearly shown in Figure 1 ofthe drawings. I

Base boards 10 are mounted upon the platform structure and rigidly connected thereto by a strip 11 the base boards 10 in reality forming the bottom portion of the end sections C. A strip 12 is provided transversely across-the floor of the platform structure A for securely bracing said platform structure. It is preferred that the sides, ends and top sections be formedof slats 13,the'slats 13 of ends thereof'and'braces17 are provided upon the end sections Band intermediate the ends thereof. 1 i

The braces 14: and 1 5 are substantiallytriangular in shape and adapted to form a. corner post of substantially rectangular'formationwhen the crate is inan upright. position and in such manner that their abutting ifacescooperate to rigidly brace the structure; The jside' sections B are foldably mounted upon the platform structure A by -hinges 18' and adapted to {fold inwardly upon the platform structure A. f'

Top sections D are foldably connected to the side sections B by-hinge's 19 and foldable outwardly thereon from anuprightposition: and in such 'manner'that when the sides B are folded the respective top D. will be immediately on top as is shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Braces 15 arev preferably formed of two: sections each, a section 20 being rigidly 'connected to the base board 10 and a section 21 foldable. within the end section C and at- Hinges 22 are provided to connect the sections 20 and 2'1 of each of the braces 15 to permit the end sections C to be readily folded over the top and side sections as is clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Lock blocks 23 are provided upon the inside of end sections C being preferably mounted upon the bracing pieces 17, apertures 24 are provided therein for the reception of a locking rod 25 preferably constructed of bar metal. Additional lock blocks 26 are provided upon the upper side of top section 27 having apertures 28 there in likewise adapted for the reception of the locking bar 25, when the folding crate is in an upright position. Apertures 29 are provided in the lock block 23 at substantially right angles to apertures 24 and adapted for the reception of the locking bar 25 to maintain the crate in collapsed position when the crate is folded. I

In the case of. a poultry crate, it may be desired to handle poultry without the liability of their escape from the crate and to facilitate this straps 30 are nailed or otherwise secured on the cross sections of the crate in such a manner as to permit removal of slats 31 and 32 therefrom. It will also be observed that a section of the top 33 can be swung outwardly when the rest of the crate is locked in an upright position for easy removal of contents from the folding crate. This section of the folding top is provided with sliding locking arms 34; and 35 slidable within a lock 36 and adapted to engage the under surface of the top section 27 for looking top section 33 in place when the crate is in an upright position.

In operation, the sides C are first collapsed upon the platform structure A and the top D folded upon their respective sides B. The end sections C are then folded or collapsed upon the top sections I), and the locking rods 25 inserted through apertures .29 and apertures 37 in base boards 10 for securely locking the folding crate in a col lapsed condition.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim:

1. In a folding crate, the combination of a platform structure, foldable sides, ends, and a pair of top sections for said foldable crate, a rod for locking the sides, ends and one of the top sections in an upright position, and a second locking means for the otherof the top sections, whereby the latter can be separately used to secure ingress into the crate.

2. In a folding crate, the combination of a platform structure, foldable ends, sides, and top sections, lock blocks mounted upon said end sections having apertures therein, and a locking rod adapted for insertion through the apertures of said lock blocks to lock the crate in an upright or folded position.

3. In a crate, the combination of a platform, end and side sections, a pair of hinged top sections for said crate, lock blocks carried by said end sections and having aligned apertures therein, lock members carried by a hinged top section and having apertures therein aligned with the apertures ofthe above mentioned lock blocks, a locking bar adapted for insertion through said apertures to hold the crate and a hinged top section in rigid relation, and separate locking means for the other of the hinged top sections. Y

4. In a folding crate, the combination of a platform structure, foldable sides hinged to said platform structure, top sections hingedly connected to said side sections and foldable thereon, foldable ends for said crate, said sides and top sections adapted to be folded on said platform structure in such position that one side and its respective top, is out of overlapping relation with respect to the other side and its respective top, and said end section adapted for positioning upon said side and top sections in folded position.

ROBERT F. DOLL. JOHN C. THIES. 

